Boring and negative - Paul Scholes rips in to Manchester United players and van Gaal's style of play

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes well and truly ripped into his former side after their drab 1-0 victory over League One side Sheffield United in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

In recent weeks, anyone who has been unfortunate enough to watch the Red Devils will tell you just how boring their displays have been, with manager Louis van Gaal seemingly happy to keep possession rather than play attacking football.

And after 90 minutes of truly disappointing football from the Premier League side, it was only a late Wayne Rooney penalty that could separate the two sides. With fans showing how disgruntled they are with the current style, Scholes chipped in and tore van Gaal, the players and the system apart in a truly brilliant interview on BT Sport.

In the two-minute rant, Scholes claimed that United's display was "boring" and "negative" before going on to say: "You need to make something happen as a footballer at this club. People need digging out sometimes.

"I'd have my head in my hands. I'd be depressed. It would take me two or three days to get over that performance.

"You've just seen 90 minutes of boring, defensive football. The players are bored, fans are bored, everyone's bored. You look across at the bench and van Gaal looks bored as well.

"I have tried to defend this team now for the last two or three weeks and it is getting more and more difficult to do. Every time you come to Old Trafford - this is what you see. Negative football."

United legend Scholes did not hold back in his post-match assessment of the Red Devils following their last-ditch FA Cup victory over Sheffield United.

Rooney's stoppage-time penalty was enough to seal their passage through to the fourth round after Dean Hammond felled Memphis Depay in the area.

However, it was another turgid display from Louis van Gaal's side, who failed to muster a shot on target until after the hour mark, and were met with ironic cheers as Depay tried a shot from range.

And Scholes reckons some of Van Gaal's players don't really know what their role is and Van Gaal doesn't either: "We bought Marouane Fellaini because he is a real handful in the box - he is playing in a central midfield position trying to dictate play and create. It isn't his game - he's never going to be able to do that."

Scholes finished off his rather brilliant rant by saying that the players are here for a reason but must show more desire: "There's always pressure here. You've got to be good enough.

"The players are here for a reason, they should be able to win games here. There's a lack of urgency. They're closing people down - not really tackling, it's just a token gesture."

With United going up to the North East to face relegation-threatened Newcastle United on Tuesday evening, Scholes and Red Devils' fans will be hoping for an improved and more entertaining performance to kick-start their 2016.